A group of 10 kids participated in the Des Moines Area Community College Computer Languages Camp, which was offered at the local DMACC campus.
From Monday, June 19 through Thursday, June 22, the kids spend their morning learning about cybersecurity, robotics and gaming. The camp is designed for students in 7th and 8th grade.
While making their own game, the kids used the website GameMaker. On the website, the kids used a tutorial called Retro Space, where they made their own game based off the retro arcade game Asteroids.
The kids also work with Hero’s Trail, a tutorial on GameMaker which shows them how to make their own action-adventure game.
For robotics, the kids work with Ozobots, which are small, beginner-friendly robots. Through coding, the kids learn how to control the Ozobots, whether they want it to speed-up, slow down or do U-turns.
The sessions are led by DMACC computer science instructor Anita Wood, who teaches remotely due to living in Florida. Wood created the curriculum for the camp.
While the first three days were filled with curriculum, the kids met with a professional computer programmer on the last day.
Connie Hoffman, the student resource specialist for the local DMACC campus, helps supervise the kids as they work in the camp.
The computer lab where the kids worked is brand new, Hoffman said, with the space now being used for the time.
Later on, Hoffman said the computer lab will be utilized for fall classes offered at the DMACC campus.
“It’s a good way to test it out,” Hoffman said.
Each table seats two kids together, with the seating chart changing every day. At the end of the first day, Hoffman said the kids did a great job working with each other.
“I could see that they’re making some new friends,” Hoffman said.
By helping instill these skills at a young age, Hoffman said it’s neat to see everyone learn more about computer programming.
“The kids are very receptive,” Hoffman said. “I honestly was quite surprised how much they know already. The kids that are here, you can tell they have had some coding experience because they were working ahead and doing their own little fun things as [Wood] was going on.”
Logan Kennebeck, a student at DMACC, also helps the kids out at the computer programming camp. Kennebeck is currently working on earning his computer languages diploma. Afterwards, he plans to get an associate degree in computer science.
“They seemed really attentive and having a good time,” Kennebeck said of the kids.
Kennebeck said he hopes the kids will find a passion in computer programming if they’re interested in pursuing the field.
“I’m just having a good time because I had this similar program when I was younger,” Kennebeck said. “It’s really helped me out in choosing this path.”